were dissatisfied with either; That most probably, before Mr. Winslow comImitted the Question to the Council held at Fort Edward for their Opinion, they were made acquainted with his own Answer to it before the Council at Albany, and the Reception it met with there: That it appears from Mr. Winslow's letter, that the grand Debate (as he calls it) among the Provincials in their Council with Regard to the Junction, arose from their losing their Rank and Command by it: And I may venture to add, My Lord, that an Apprehension of losing, by the proposed Junction, a great Part of the Honor of succeeding in the Reduction of Crown Point, which I have Reason to think, from the Declaration of some of their Principal Officers, they are persuaded they shou'd effect with their own Force, had very probably some Weight in their Debate; And lastly, that as the Plan first proposed was, that the Provincials shou'd Attempt the Reduction of the French Forts with their own Force, and a Body of the Regulars be posted at Fort Edward and Fort Wm. Henry in a Readiness to support or assist them, in Case they shou'd want Assistance; And Mr. Winslow's Opinion against a Junction of the Troops given in to the Council at Albany did not appear to be dissatisfactory to the Members of it; They look'd upon the Committing this Question to themselves convened in Council for their Opinion to be a referring of it to them, for a final Decision

and endeavour'd to avail themselves of this Opportunity of Preserving their Rank and Command among the Provincial Troops, by making that a Condition of the proposed Junction; and that their Determination upon this Matter hath rather proceeded from a Notion of Carrying their Point by this Means, than a general Spirit of Disobedience to the King's Commands.

I took the Liberty, at my last Meeting with Your Lordship, to express my Sentiments concerning the Risque there wou'd be of the Provincials undertaking the Reduction of Crown Point without being supported with a Body of his Majesty's Regular Troops, as the French, according to the Intelligence we have gain'd, have a considerable Number of Regulars and strong Works at Ticonderoge; and in the Letter, which I had the Honor to write to your Lordship of the 26th of July, I acquainted Your Lordship, that I had so little Apprehension of the Provincial Officers starting any considerable Difficulties against a Junction of the Regular Forces with them, "that I had "determined before I left Boston, in "Case I shou'd not have been super"ceded in my Command before the "Campaign had opened, to have join'd "the 44th and 48th Regiments with "the Provincials in their Attempt "against the French Forts at Crown "Point etc., and that Preparations "were accordingly begun to be made. "for that Purpose."

This, with the paragraph of M. G. Winslow's Letter transmitted to me,

I leave as an answer to all that goes before, particularly where he mentions the grand debate,

and their being Executors in Trust.

Sir William Johnson, Provincials last year, is now by me, and declares, of either of those two

who Commanded the

there never was one Man,

the Provincials these two Regiments

were

I will not pretend to say, My Lord, that I shou'd have been able to have compassed a Junction of the Troops, If I had continued in the Command, as I flatter'd myself, from the Application made to me the last Year by this Province for employing my own and Sir William Pepperell's Regiments with the Provincials in the expedition against Crown Point, and the Junction there actually was of those two Regiments the last Campaign, and is in the present Year, with the New Jersey Regiment of Regiments join'd with Irregulars at Oswego, I might have done: But I had determined, in Case Join'd at Oswego, by the there had appeared any Danger to the New Jersey Regiment, and are this year Join'd Service from such a Junction, as wou'd again with them, having have interfered with the Rank and Comat all times been raised by the Collony, to be as mand of the Provincial Officers, among much under the King's their own Troops, to have march'd the General's Command, as the regular Troops. Regulars, destined in my own Mind for the Expedition against Crown Point, in a separate Corps from the ProvinHe says "in his own cials, and at so short a Distance from mind"; the Provincial them, as to have been near enough to declared to me, in reading support them upon all Imergencies, his Letter to Sir Charles in Case of Need; leaving a proper Hardy, that they have a Letter from him, declaring Number of the Provincials to Garin the strongest manner, rison Fort Edward and Fort Wm. that he will not Join any of the Regulars to them. Henry, and that at Sarahtoga, during the march to Ticonderoge etc. against what he is now insinuating your Lordships doing which, in Case in the Provinces, that I Your Lordship is of Opinion to make do not approve the place an attempt against Crown Point this of the expedition against Crown Point; I am sure Year, and approve of such an Exhe knows no part of my pedient under the present Circumplan, for I have not mentioned the one least word stances of his Majestys Service, there does not appear the least Shadow of

Officers that were here,

This is to support

of it to him.

This Shadow of an Objection to the Junction appears in Mr. Winslows

it is declared in the Grand debate.

and Field Officers could

and Command.

2dly: That being Ex

an Objection to be made on the Part of the Provincials.

I take Notice, Your Lordship observes to me in your Letter of the 2d: Letter as follows That Instant, that you are inform'd the Massachusets Officers are the Principal Ist: That the General Opposers; All I can say, my Lord, in not give up their rank particular with Regard to them is, that the six Colonels, of whom I have ecutors in Trust to their the most knowledge, are the best Offirespective Governments cers I cou'd find in the Province; and for the power committed to them, They could not I have Reason to think, have as good a 3dly: That it is not in Disposition for his Majesty's Service the Power of Man, to re- as any among the Provincials; they move the Opinion the pri- may, for ought I know, be tenacious of on which they are enlisted, Rank and Command, as their Countryare That they are to men generally are, But I hope your own Officers, in which Lordship may have been misinform'd; Terms should any Altera- and shall be very sorry to have them tion be made, it would end in the dissolution of in particular give your Lordship the Army. Trouble. Nothing in my Power hath

resign it.

vates hold, that the terms

be Commanded by their

or shall be wanting for the Removal 10 I do say they are the of that or any other Obstruction to Principal, and almost the only, and Mr. Gridley the Service.

the foremost among them.

I have used my utmost endeavours to prepare every Thing in the best Manner I cou'd for your Lordship's I do say, that Mr. Shirley, first, by inform- Proceeding, upon your Arrival, in the ing them falsely of my Execution of your high Command, In Mutiny and disloyalty, which I most sincerely wish Your Lordand then Negotiating with ship all imaginable Success, having the Papers he has sent me; Honour to be with the greatest Respect,

having charged them with

them, as appears from the

obstructed our Accommodating matters sooner and

better.

12 I have found, by the

Warrants granted, that

this ought to be true, but

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most Humble and most obedient Servant

W. SHIRLEY.

in the proper Officers His Excy. The Rt. Honle. E. of Loudoun

hands; I have found

hardly any thing but

etc.

Provisions, great part of which, in Virginia Pork, which I am told, will mostly be condemned, when survey'd, which it was not in Mr. Shirleys time; and that a great part of it is spoilt, from Neglect; as to other things, they must be very well concealed in private Agents hands, for I have found very few.

I do own he has furnished me in this dispute with the Provincials, and by the State the Service is in, business sufficient to remedy the defects, and to avoid the dangers.

SIR,

Endorsed:

Copy of M. G. Shirleys Letter to the
E. of Loudoun

Boston 10th. August 1756.
in the E. of Loudoun's Letter of
Augt. 19th. 1756.

WILLIAM SHIRLEY TO JOHN WINSLOW 1

Boston, August 10th, 1756.

I am favour'd with your Letter of the 2d: instant (in Answer to mine of the 26th of July) inclosing Copies of your Answer to the Question propos'd to you by Major General Abercromby at Albany, concerning the Effect of a Junction of the King's Regular Forces with the Provincial Troops in their March to Tionderoge, and of the Opinion of the Council of the Field Officers of the Provincials held at Fort Edward the 22d: of July upon the same Point; and I must own I wish they had been more to my satisfaction than I find them.

You say in your Letter that you found no one Member of the Council at Albany dissatisfied with your Answer; What satisfaction, the Gentlemen of that Council might have in your Answer, I know not; But the inclos'd Copy of a Paragraph of Lord Loudoun's Letter to me, will shew you that it is very dissatisfactory to him; as well as is the Opinion of

1 P. R. O., C. O. 5, 46. Inclosed Shirley to Fox, Sept. 15. Another copy of this letter is in C. O. 5, 47, and transcripts are in the Library of Congress and in the Parkman Papers, Mass. Hist. Society.